Floating Through Haifa on Leave

The U.S.S. George Washington, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, anchored this week in Haifa for a five-day shore leave for the crew.

The arrival of the giant floating city, with its 5,500 officers and men, was welcomed by Haifa’s store owners.

But the arrival proved to be a major problem for Israeli users of cellular telephones.

The massive amount of electronic equipment aboard the 1,300-foot vessel caused major interference with the portable phones until Bezek, Israel’s state-owned telephone company, managed to change the frequencies used by the phones.